Will ChatGPT Replace Programmers? No, ChatGPT is not meant to replace programmers.
Although it’s a powerful AI language model with extensive text data training, it lacks the ability to program or develop software.
Programming demands specific skills like logic, problem-solving, and knowledge of programming languages, which ChatGPT does not have.
Programmers are crucial for designing and creating software, websites, and other tech products due to their expertise in these areas.
ChatGPT isn’t meant to take the place of programmers but serves as a tool to assist and boost their work, enhancing overall efficiency.
Instead, ChatGPT is made to support and enhance the work of programmers and other professionals.
For instance, it can answer questions, offer information, and handle tasks like data entry, saving considerable time and effort compared to human input.
Will ChatGPT Replace Programmers?
Reportedly, in the early 1960s, an executive from a record company expressed dislike for the music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, stating that guitars were on the decline.
Similarly, an individual named Watson, who was the CEO of IBM, allegedly predicted a limited global demand for just five computers.
Another person, Gates, is said to have remarked that “640k [of RAM] should be enough for anyone.” These instances highlight the history of inaccurate predictions.
To avoid making similar forecasting mistakes, I turned to ChatGPT for insight. Here’s the resulting dialogue:
1. Will ChatGPT replace computer programmers?
ChatGPT will not take the place of computer programmers. While it’s skilled in natural language processing for generating dialogue, it lacks the ability to create intricate programs or algorithms. That’s the bottom line.
- ChatGPT is not designed for this purpose.
- If you attempt to use it for programming, you’ll likely end up with a mix of flawed and functional code.
- Similar to a bothersome coworker, ChatGPT confidently provides incorrect explanations for its flawed code, sounding convincing.
- It humorously suggests, “Wanna buy a timeshare?” This poses a challenge in industries where managers struggle to distinguish between working and defective code, especially if a team is replaced by ChatGPT in its current state.
Should it replace programmers? No. Can it replace them? No.
Will it replace them? Unfortunately, programmers might not have a say in this matter, and it could potentially happen.
2. ChatGPT so far has proven one thing-
ChatGPT has the ability to create text and code that may appear competent, especially to individuals unfamiliar with the subject. If you find yourself needing to impress someone without much knowledge in the field, like Elon Musk, ChatGPT can be invaluable for creating a convincing facade of productivity in your job.
3. For everyone else, ChatGPT at best produces first-draft level material-
Many outputs from ChatGPT are initially incorrect, but much of it can be fixed. Only a few things meet high standards right away. While there are situations where ChatGPT is useful, such as reviewing content being easier than creating it, it is far from replacing an intelligent human. However, it could significantly impact the sports journalism industry.
4. Breaks down beyond toy problems-
ChatGPT, and similar systems, struggle with more complex problems beyond basic ones. Its memory isn’t sufficient to handle the numerous “truths” in projects larger than a few classes. ChatGPT’s memory capacity is about 3000 tokens, making it challenging to effectively analyze a 10,000 lines of code (LoC) codebase.
5. Not capable of independent thought-
ChatGPT lacks the ability for independent thought. It relies on a prompt that outlines the desired end result, essentially representing the design phase of programming. The actual coding is then a translation step from that conceptual goal.
It’s dumb, it just acts smart but struggles with basic arithmetic, leading to a 25% chance of providing incorrect answers. If you’re not more knowledgeable than ChatGPT on a topic, you might not catch its mistakes.
Moreover, ChatGPT lacks an understanding of the broader context of your application beyond explicit information. Due to these limitations, effective use in development work requires developers to create precise prompts, although it may slightly reduce the entry barrier.
In programming, automation usually increases demand. If ChatGPT enables developers to work much faster, the industry is likely to generate more projects rather than reducing demand.
Here’s the main problem in my opinion:
While ChatGPT could potentially handle programming tasks if provided with precise descriptions, the challenge lies in translating complex business problems into the specific instructions needed for ChatGPT. Turning a substantial business issue into a suitable ChatGPT description is not straightforward.
Additionally, even if ChatGPT generates something, it may not align precisely with your requirements. Adjustments are necessary, and communicating these adjustments effectively to ChatGPT or fine-tuning its output requires the skills of a programmer. As the saying goes, it’s called “code,” and the person doing it is the “programmer.”
This discussion doesn’t even touch on the distinctions between a programmer and a professional software engineer, which involve a whole separate set of skills.
What is ChatGPT? How do I make money?
Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, commonly known as ChatGPT, has revolutionized the world since its launch on November 30, 2022, becoming a global sensation.
Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a large language model based on the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture. Its primary purpose is to understand and generate human-like language, having been trained extensively on vast amounts of text data from the internet.
ChatGPT serves users by assisting with various tasks, such as answering questions, providing information, generating creative writing, and engaging in conversations. This language model simplifies content creation, opening up numerous opportunities for generating income. Here are some ways to leverage ChatGPT for income generation:
1. Write and Sell Ebooks or Digital Products:
Utilize ChatGPT to draft ebooks or digital products for sale. Its language generation capabilities make content creation more efficient.
2. Provide Chat Customer Support and Service:
Implement ChatGPT for handling customer inquiries and providing support through chat. This can enhance customer service efficiency.
3. Create and Sell Language Training Programs:
Leverage ChatGPT to develop language training programs, offering valuable content to language learners and generating income.
4. Offer Social Media Management Services:
Utilize ChatGPT to help manage social media accounts efficiently. It can assist in creating engaging content and managing communication.
5. Become a YouTuber with Script Writing Assistance:
Use ChatGPT to assist in scriptwriting for YouTube videos. This can streamline content creation for your channel.
6. Create Chrome Extensions:
Explore developing Chrome extensions using ChatGPT, adding value to users and potentially generating income through the Chrome Web Store.
7. Offer Proofreading Services:
Utilize ChatGPT for proofreading services, ensuring high-quality written content for clients seeking polished documents.
8. Create Your Courses and Sell:
Develop educational courses with the help of ChatGPT and sell them online. It can assist in creating course content and materials.
6 Ways ChatGPT can Assist Programmers
For now, ChatGTP and other AI-empowered tools will not replace programmers.
However, programmers that will learn to exploit AI-empowered tools might replace other programmers.
Here are 6 ways ChatGPT can assist programmers:
1. Write and Sell Ebooks or Digital Products:
Use ChatGPT to create ebooks or digital products for sale, making content creation more efficient with its language generation capabilities.
2. Provide Chat Customer Support and Service:
Implement ChatGPT to handle customer inquiries and provide support through chat, enhancing the efficiency of customer service.
3. Create and Sell Language Training Programs:
Leverage ChatGPT to develop language training programs, providing valuable content to language learners and generating income.
4. Offer Social Media Management Services:
Utilize ChatGPT to efficiently manage social media accounts, assisting in creating engaging content and handling communication.
5. Become a YouTuber with Script Writing Assistance:
Use ChatGPT to assist in scriptwriting for YouTube videos, streamlining content creation for your channel.
6. Create Chrome Extensions:
Explore developing Chrome extensions using ChatGPT, adding value to users and potentially earning income through the Chrome Web Store.
7. Offer Proofreading Services:
Utilize ChatGPT for proofreading services, ensuring high-quality written content for clients seeking polished documents.
8. Create Your Courses and Sell:
Develop educational courses with the help of ChatGPT and sell them online. It can aid in creating course content and materials effectively. While developers can enhance their productivity with ChatGPT, it won’t take over and replace programmers. ChatGPT excels in conversations and providing helpful information that developers typically search for on Google and StackOverflow.
ChatGPT is a versatile conversationalist, capable of handling various tasks. However, specialized tools like GitHub Copilot for code suggestions and documentation or CodiumAI for code testing may work better for specific purposes.
In the short term, ChatGPT empowers developers to work faster but doesn’t eliminate the need for them. Predicting how ChatGPT and similar tools will evolve in 10–20 years is challenging. There’s a possibility that advanced AI systems could allow non-programmers to develop using natural language instructions, but the exact role of developers in this future remains uncertain. Even then, developers will likely be necessary, albeit in ways that are hard to foresee.
Summary
This dismisses the notion of ChatGPT replacing programmers, emphasizing its role as a tool to assist rather than replace. It explores historical mispredictions and discusses ChatGPT’s limitations, including struggles with complex tasks and the need for precise prompts. The article outlines various ways ChatGPT can aid programmers, such as content creation and customer support. Ultimately, it suggests that while ChatGPT boosts productivity, the future role of developers with evolving AI tools remains uncertain.